Beinn na Seilg

At 344m, Beinn na Seilg (the hill of hunts) is the most westerly of the 300m+ hills of western Ardnamurchan and, although it doesn't compare in height to Ben Hiant (528m), I think it has the better views. Because it's at the back of Ormsaigbeg - it's on the extensive Ormsaigmore common grazings - it's also a hill we can reach without using the car.

With a fresh northerly blowing this morning, we set out in bright sunshine to climb it for what must be at least the fifth time. The first obstacle is the ridge of Druim na Gearr Leacainn - picture shows a view southwestwards along the ridge slope, with the Sound of Mull and Mull in the distance - from the top of which....

....one looks across the wide glen of the twin lochans to Beinn na Seilg. The hill is roughly boat-shaped, with the easy approach from the east up the long shoulder visible in this picture, which also gives....

....a series of views eastwards across the twin lochans to Kilchoan, Ben Hiant, and the entrance to Loch Sunart.

The hill is formed of the coarse igneous rock gabbro, a hard rock which is part of the cone sheet complex of the Ardnamurchan Tertiary volcanic event. Someone, or perhaps it is generations of walkers, has built an impressive cairn on the top.

The wind had a sharp edge to it at the summit but we stayed long enough for one member of the party to practise a bit of yoga and....

....to watch an intrepid yachts-person round Ardnamurchan Point.

We came down the south face, a steep descent made a bit more treacherous by the slipperiness caused by the recent rain.

The walk takes, at our pace, about two and a half hours.